RFID printer and antennas

ABSTRACT

A shielded antenna system is provided for reading from and/or writing to an RFID transponder wherein the energy radiated from the antenna system has a narrow beam width so that only one RFID transponder in a record member along a web of record members, each having an RFID transponder, is read from and/or written to without affecting or being affected by any other RFID transponder along the web.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) printersand antennas.

2. Brief Description Of The Prior Art

The following prior art is made of Record: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,833,377;6,327,972; 6,481,907; 6,677,852; and U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/222,692 filed Aug. 16, 2002, Publication No. 2004/0032443 publishedFeb. 19, 2004.

RFID printers are now required to be capable of both printing on recordmembers, such as labels, tags, etc., and capable of writing to and/orreading from an RFID transponder contained on the record member. Onerequirement is that certain record members e.g., compliance labelscontain transponders. Such compliance labels are frequently six inchesin length. Therefore, the transponders are to be located on the recordmembers at a distance of six inches apart along the length of the web ofrecord members. Placing the transponders in the web six inches apart mayprevent the reprogramming of an RFID transponder upstream and/ordownstream of the RFID read/write station of the printer.

It has been proposed to use a whip antenna to write to and/or read RFIDtransponders in RFID printers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, various disadvantages of priorart RFID printers and the antenna systems used therein have beenovercome. The RFID printer of the present invention includes an antennasystem that is discriminating enough so that RFID transponders atclosely spaced locations along a web of printable record members can beread from and/or written to at a read and/or write station on aone-by-one basis without being affected by or affecting an RFIDtransponder in an adjacent record member.

In accordance with the present invention an improved shielded antennasystem is provided for reading and/or writing to an RFID transponderwherein the energy radiated from the antenna system has a narrow beamwidth so that only one RFID transponder in a record member along a webof record members, each having an RFID transponder, is read and/orwritten to without affecting or being affected by any other RFIDtransponder along the web.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the antenna assemblyincludes a loop antenna having a substrate, a conductor formed on thesubstrate in a loop pattern and a non-conducting mounting bracketsubstantially surrounding three sides of the antenna substrate whereinthe antenna assembly is supported on a shield, and the shield blocksenergy radiating from the antenna from an RFID transponder downstream ofthe shield.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an antenna assemblyincludes an antenna that radiates energy to write to and/or read an RFIDtransponder. The antenna assembly also includes a conductive enclosurewith at least one opening, the antenna being supported in the enclosuresuch that the energy radiated from the substantially enclosed antenna issufficient to write to and/or read an RFID transponder in a recordmember generally aligned with the opening of the enclosure, but whereinthe enclosure blocks a portion of the radiated energy from a recordmember adjacent to the aligned record member.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the antennaassembly is supported on a shield. The shield has a portion that extendstowards the web so that at least a part of the shield is adjacent to theweb in order to shield an RFID transponder in a record member downstreamof the shield from energy radiated from the antenna.

It is a feature of the invention to provide an improved antenna whichcan write to and/or read one transponder at a time in a web oftransponders without writing to, rewriting or reading adjacenttransponders, wherein the transponders can be spaced two inches or lessapart and more particularly as close as about one inch apart.

It is a feature of the invention to provide improved antennas having anarrow beam and a broad band width in a small space.

These and other advantages and novel features of the present invention,as well as details of the illustrated embodiments thereof, will be morefully understood from the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAMMATIC DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an RFID printer;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a roll of a web of labels containingRFID transponders;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing components of the printerincluding an antenna system used to write to and/or read an RFIDtransponder in a label of a web of labels;

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of a printer frame,shielding and peel structures;

FIG. 5 is a perspective partly sectional view of one embodiment of anantenna assembly also shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged connector side view of the antenna assembly shownin FIGS. 3 and 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged opposite side view of the antenna assembly shownin FIGS. 3, 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the antenna circuit shown in FIGS. 3and 5 through 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken generally along line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a jack of a connector also shown inFIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a top plan taken in the direction of arrows 11-11 in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the opposite side of theantenna assembly as seen in FIG. 7;

FIG. 13 is a partly sectional view taken generally along line 13-13 ofFIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a partly sectional view taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but showing analternative antenna assembly from the antenna assembly shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the antenna assembly depicted in FIG.15;

FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the antenna of the antenna assemblydepicted in FIGS. 15 and 16;

FIG. 18 is a bottom view showing the ground plane of the antennadepicted in FIGS. 15 through 17;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of the encircled portion (19) of the antennashown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 is an enlarged view of the encircled portion (20) of the antennashown in FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of the antenna assembly shown in FIGS. 15and 16;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner the antennais mounted to a shielding enclosure or shield;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a connectorfor connecting a shielded conductor to the antenna of FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary top plan view showing only the upper portion ofthe connector taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a top plan view of the shielding enclosure;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view taken along line 26-26 of FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a block diagram of an RFID read/write station in the RFIDprinter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 28 is a graph of the response curve using the antenna system of theembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 3 through 14;

FIG. 29 is a graph of the response curve using the antenna system of theembodiment of FIGS. 15 through 27; and

FIGS. 30A and 30B form a flowchart illustrating an RFID read/writeoperation and a print operation of the RFID printer of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference initially to FIG. 1, there is shown a printer generallyindicated at 40 which is essentially the same as the printer 40disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,377, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference, except as otherwise disclosed herein.For components in this application which correspond to components inU.S. Pat. No. 5,833,377 the same reference characters are used.

While the invention is illustrated in connection with a thermal printerusing dot heating elements to create images such as bar codes, graphics,alpha numeric characters and the like, the invention is also useful withprinters such as ink jet, laser, xerographic, impact, and other types ofprinters.

The printer 40 has a generally vertical frame panel 71 and a conductivemetal horizontal frame member 72 on a conductive metal base plate 120. Amovable mounting member 56 is pivotally mounted to the frame plate 71about hinge blocks 73 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1). A rollmounting member 50 is shown to mount a roll R of a web C of recordmembers RM. The record members RM are illustrated to comprise acomposite label web C which comprises a carrier web W to which a seriesof pressure sensitive labels L are releasably adhered by pressuresensitive, tacky, adhesive A (FIG. 2). If desired, the web of recordmembers RM can be comprised of a web of tags or forms. The web C isshown to be paid out of the roll R and passes beneath a guide roller 62′rotatably mounted by a bracket 62″ to a guide member 60 which is part ofa web guide generally indicated at 62. Any suitable web guide, forexample, just a member with a curved surface or a roller can be usedinstead, if desired. From there the web C passes between a thermal printhead 69 which is part of a print head assembly 70 and a platen roll 63.It is noted the web C extends from the roll R to a position upstream ofthe nip of the print head 69 and the platen roll 63 and extendsdownstream beyond the nip. The platen roll 63 is shown to have aconductive metal shaft 506 about which a tubular elastomeric sleeve 506′is received as shown in FIG. 3 for example. The shaft 506 acts as an RFreflector. If desired the shaft 506 can be made of a rigid plasticsmaterial which is not RF reflective. A delaminator in the form of a peelbar 64′ is provided downstream and preferably adjacent the nip. However,the delaminator can alternatively comprise a peel roller. A label L canbe delaminated at the delaminator 64′ when the web W is advanced by amotor 165 between a motor-driven roll 65 and a back-up roll 66. A spring66′ is used to urge the backup roll 66 toward the roll 65 so that theweb W is pressed between the rolls 65 and 66. From there the carrier webW passes about an arcuate guide plate 170 and through an exit opening 49of a movable panel 48.

The illustrated printer 40 utilizes an ink ribbon IR wound into a supplyroll SR. The supply roll SR has a core 52 and the core 52 is mounted ona spindle 53. The ink ribbon IR is paid out of the supply roll SR andpasses beneath a ribbon guide 57 to the nip between the print head 69and the platen roll 63 and from there the ink ribbon IR passes partiallyabout a guide 58 and onto a take-up roll TR. The take-up roll TR has acore 54 identical to the core 52. The core 54 is mounted on a spindle 55identical to the spindle 53. Except for the delaminator 64′, the roll62′ and the bracket 62″ the foregoing describes the printer 40 disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,377.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, unlike the record members RM in U.S.Pat. No. 5,833,377, each of the record members R include an RFIDtransponder T incorporated in a composite web C of labels L as bestshown in FIG. 2. A typical transponder includes an integrated circuitchip and an antenna. As shown in FIG. 2, the roll R includes RFID labelsL. Each label L is illustrated to have an RFID transponder T adhered tothe adhesive A on the underside of the label L. Thus, the compositelabel web C has an RFID transponder T sandwiched between the label L andthe carrier web W. The RFID transponder T in a preferred embodiment is apassive transponder that uses received RF energy to power the chip ofthe transponder T and enabling functions of reading and/or writing whensufficient energy is received by the transponder T so that informationcan be read or written to, i.e., programmed into, the RFID transponder.The pitch of the transponders T is considered the distance from thecenterline of one transponder to the centerline of an immediatelyadjacent transponder. The pitch or length of a record member RM is thedistance from the leading edge of one record member RM to the leading ofan adjacent record member RM in the longitudinal direction of the web.

FIG. 1 also shows an antenna assembly 500 fitted between the web guide62 and the platen roll 63. A shield or RF reflector generally indicatedat 501 extends into contact with an electrically conductive metaldelaminator in the form of a peel edge 64′ which forms part of theshield. The shield 501, which is preferably comprised of conductivemetal such as steel, has an inclined portion 503 (FIG. 3), a downwardlyextending portion 502 joined to the inclined portion 503, a downwardlyextending portion 504 and a base portion 505 grounded to the frame 120.The motor 165 is below the inclined portion and above the base portion505. The platen roll 63 is above the inclined portion 503. The inclinedportion 503 of the shield 501, in one preferred embodiment, supports theantenna assembly 500 so that a plane of antenna 500′ is perpendicular toan RFID transponder T adjacent the antenna 500′. The second portion 502of the shield 501 extends at an angle from the support portion 503 andtowards the web C so that a part of the shield 501 is adjacent the web Cto shield an RFID transponder in an adjacent record member RM that isdownstream of the shield 501, i.e., a record member RM that is past theshield 501 in the direction of web movement, from energy radiated fromthe antenna 500′. The second portion 502 of the shield 501 is formedintegrally with the portion 503 supporting the antenna 500′.Alternatively, the second shield portion 502 may include multiple parts.For example, as best shown in FIG. 3, the portion of the shield 501adjacent to the web includes an electrically conductive metal web guide510 with a downwardly extending portion 511 that abuts and makesintimate electrical contact with shield portion 502. The portion of theshield 501 adjacent the web C may also include the delaminator 64′ asdiscussed below.

With reference to FIG. 3, the platen roll 63 is shown to have aconductive steel shaft 506 which reflects radiation from the antennaassembly 500. The antenna assembly 500 includes a non-conducting bracketor holder 507 which is secured to the shield portion 503 by two thumbscrews 508 (only one of which is shown) threaded into the holder 507.The screws 508 pass through laterally spaced elongate slots 509 in theinclined shield portion 503. The slots 509 allow the position of theantenna assembly 500 to be adjusted. The slope of the inclined shieldportion 503 is parallel to the path of the web C at the read and/orwrite station where a transponder T is read and/or written to. Movementof the antenna assembly 500 allows optimal alignment of the antenna 500′with RFID transponders T on the composite web C. The delaminator 64′ andthe guide form part of the shield 501.

The shelf or web guide 510 has a downwardly extending portion 511 whichis welded to the de laminator 64′. The delaminator 64′ and the guide 510are preferably composed of steel. The shield 501, the delaminator 64′and the guide 510, provide effective shielding of the energy radiatedfrom the antenna assembly 500 and from an RFID transponder which isdownstream of the shield 501, the guide 510 and the delaminator 64′. Asshown in FIG. 3, one of the RFID transponders T is spaced from but isadjacent to the antenna assembly 500. Therefore, the antenna 500′ doesnot affect the RFID transponder T which is beyond the delaminator 64′.FIG. 3 shows the antenna assembly 500 to be located at a write and/orread station.

With reference to FIG. 4, there is shown the delaminator 64′ which hooksinto wall 126 and snaps into a connector 512 screwed to wall 126. Abight portion 155 is sandwiched between the base portion 505 and a bightportion 128. The portions 128, 155 and 505 are screwed to panel 80 (FIG.1). Thus, the shield is conductively connected to the printer frame.Connecting the delaminator 64′ in the same manner as in U.S. Pat. No.5,833,377 with screws instead of a snap connector is also a preferredconstruction.

With reference to FIG. 5, the antenna assembly 500 includes antenna 500′received in a slot 512 in the generally U-shaped non-conducting bracketor holder 507. The antenna 500′ is held in position in the holder 507 bya screw 513 which passes through a hole (not shown) in one arm 514,through a hole 515 (FIGS. 6 and 7) in the antenna 500′ and is threadablyreceived in a hole 516 in another arm 517 of the holder 507. The antenna500′ is connected via a connector 518 to a shielded conductor 519. Thearm 517 has an open-ended slot 520 which enables the antenna 500′ to beslid into the slot 520 from end 521. The holder 507 is preferablyconstructed of a non-conductive plastics material preferablypolypropylene.

With reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 there is shown the antenna 500′.There is also shown a jack 522 forming part of the connector 518 whichis connected to the antenna 500′. The antenna 500′includes loop antennaconductors 523 and 525 connected to the jack 522, and a non-conductiveprinted circuit board substrate 524 on which the conductors 523 and 525are printed or plated and to which the jack 522 is attached. The antenna500′ is shown to have flat sides. The sides terminate at longitudinallyextending edges 500″ which extend transversely or laterally with respectto the longitudinal direction of the web C, that is, parallel to theline of dot heating elements of the print head 69. One of the edges 500″is adjacent to transponders T which pass along the web path through theprinter 40 from the roll R to the nip between the print head 69 and theplaten roll 63. The field strength is greater along the edge 500″ whichis adjacent the transponder T than the field strength at the flat planarsides of the antenna 500′. Also the antenna 500′ and the holder 507readily fit between the web guide 62 and the platen roll 63, as shown.The portions of the holder 507 adjacent the conductors 523 and 525 arespaced from the holder 507 as shown at 512′.

FIG. 8 illustrates diagrammatically the connections of the conductors523 and 525 to the jack 522.

With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, the jack 522 is shown to comprise abody 526, a pin connector or pin 527, and an insulator 528 whichelectrically insulates the pin connector 527 from the body 526. The pin527 is shown to extend partially through a conductively plated-throughhole 527′ in the substrate 524. Solder 530′ electrically connects theprinted conductor 525 to the pin 527. The jack 522 also has four pins529 (FIG. 10) formed integrally with the body 526. The pins 529 extendpartially through the substrate 524 and solder 530 provides electricaland physical connection of the jack 522 to the antenna 500′.

FIG. 12 shows an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 7, rotated 90 degrees.FIG. 13 shows the manner in which two of the pins 529 of the four pins529 are connected to the conductor 523. The pins 529 extend intoconductively plated-through holes 531. Plating 532 in the holes 531 isconnected to the conductor 523. Thus, the body 526 of the jack 522 iselectrically connected by the solder 530 to the conductor 523 via two ofthe pins 524 and the respective plated-through holes 531. The pins 529and the solder 530 mechanically hold the jack 522 to the substrate 524.FIG. 14 shows a plug generally indicated at 533 coupled to the jack 522.The plug 533 is connected to a cable 535. The plug 533 has a pin (notshown) which is received in recess 534 (FIG. 9) to electrically connectthe pin 527 and a conductor 535′ of the cable 535 as depicted bydot-dash line 536′. The plug 533 has a body 536 which snap-connects tothe body 526. A braided shielding conductor 537 is electricallyconnected or coupled to the body 536 and the body 536 is mechanicallyand electrically connected or coupled to the body 526. The conductors535′ and 537 are electrically insulated from each other by insulation538 and an insulator 539 insulates the cable 535 from contact with otherparts of the printer 40. Further details of the illustrated jack 522,plug 533 and the cable 535 are disclosed in specification pages ofJohnson Components, Waseca, Minn. www.johnsoncomponents.com, entitledMMCX Straight PC Mount Jack Receptacle and MMCX-50 Ohm Connectors and ina specification page 337 Amphenol Corporation, www.amphenolrf.comentitled Assembly Instruction—C72, MMCX.

With reference to FIG. 15, there is shown an alternative antenna systemwith an antenna assembly generally indicated at 540 disposed in theprinter 40 between the web guide 62 (FIG. 1) and the platen roll 63. Theantenna system the antenna assembly 540 and, if desired, may alsoinclude the conductive shield 501′. The shield 501′ is identical to theshield 501, except that the shield 501′ has two laterally spaced holes541 (only one of which is shown) instead of the two slots 509. The holes541 are aligned with threaded holes 548. The antenna assembly 540 has anelectrically conductive metal enclosure or shield generally indicated at542 having side panels or side walls 543, 544, 545 and 546 and bottom orback panels 547. While the conductive shield 542 is composed of metal,the shield 542 can be constructed of molded or fabricated non-conductiveplastics material which has a conductive coating such as would becreated by vacuum metalizing or plating, wherein the plating is inconductive contact with the shield 501′ and antenna 550. The enclosure542 can also be constructed of a conductive plastics material, ifdesired. The side panels 543 through 546 terminate at an open top 542′.The bottom panels 547 have the threaded holes 548. The panels 547 areclosely spaced or they can touch each other and constitute a back wallor back panel. Screws 549 pass through respective holes 541 and arethreaded into the threaded holes 548 to hold the antenna assembly 540securely and electrically connected to the inclined portion 503′ of theshield 501′. As in the first embodiment, the shield portion 503′supports the antenna assembly 540 so that a microstrip or microstripantenna 550, discussed below, is generally parallel to the web C and theplane of the RFID transponder T. The enclosure 542 is electricallygrounded to the metal printer frame through the shield 501′.

With reference to FIGS. 15, 16 and 18, the antenna assembly 540 includesthe microstrip antenna 550 and the shield 542. The antenna assembly 540is shown in FIG. 1 to be located at the write and/or read station. Theshield 542 acts to direct the energy radiated from the antenna 550 tothe region above opening 542′. This reduces the energy that is seen bythe RFID transponders T located upstream and downstream from the RFIDtransponder located over or adjacent the antenna 550. The shield 542 iselectrically connected to conducting elements 553, 554 and 560 by screws571 received in through plated-through holes 557 and threaded holes 570(FIG. 22). The elements 553 and 560 are electrically connected to eachother by plated-through holes 558. The conductive elements 553, 554, 556and 560 are formed on a non-conducting substrate 552. The driven elementof the antenna 550 is the microstrip 556. The resonant frequency of theantenna 550 is mainly determined by the length of the microstrip 556.The antenna assembly 540 is mounted on the shield portion 503′, with theplane of the microstrip antenna 550 being parallel to the web C. Themain part of the antenna 550 is the driven element 556, the length ofwhich is selected to be approximately a quarter wavelength of thedesired resonant frequency of the antenna. The plane of the antenna 550is shown to be generally parallel to the web C and the microstripelement 556 extends parallel to and in the same direction as thegenerally flat transponder T in the web C. If desired, the antennaassembly 540 can be used to write to and/or read a transponder T whichis at a different orientation such as perpendicular to the element 556,as contrasted to the parallel orientation of the transponder T shown inFIG. 2. The top of the shield or enclosure 542 or the opening 542′ isnominally spaced from the web C by 3.0 millimeters. The upper surface orfirst face of the antenna 550 is spaced 5.62 millimeters from the top ofthe enclosure or opening 542′. Microstrip antenna 550 parameters such asresonant frequency, bandwidth and driving point impedance can be changedby changing the length of element 556, the size and dielectric constantof the substrate 552, the width of element 556, and distance betweenholes 558 and 559. The beam width of the antenna assembly 540 isdetermined mainly by the position of the antenna 550 in the enclosure542. Element 556 is 41.5 millimeters long and 5 millimeters wide,providing resonance at 915 MHz and broad band operation. The shield 542also functions as a support or housing for the antenna 550. Thesedimensions are by way of example, not limitation.

With reference to FIG. 17, there is shown what can be described as afirst face of the antenna 550, with FIG. 18 showing the second face. Theantenna 550 is comprised of a printed circuit board 551 having thenon-conductive substrate 552 with conductive portions or elementsgenerally indicated at 553, 554 and 560. The conductive portions 553 and554 preferably have peripheral edges or a boundry spaced inwardly fromthe side edges of the substrate 552 so they cannot contact the insidesurfaces of the shield 542. The conductive portion 553 has a generallyrectangular portion or element 555 with a narrow strip or driven element556 extending from the rectangular conductive portion 555 toward butspaced from the portion 554. It is noted that the antenna of thisembodiment can be formed without the conductive portion 554. Therectangular portion 555 of the portion 553 and the portion 554 haveconductively plated-through holes 557, one of which is illustrated ingreater detail in FIG. 22. The area 555 has four small, spaced,conductively plated-through holes 558 and the element 556 has one small,conductively plated-through hole 559, as shown in an enlarged scale inFIGS. 19 and 23. In this preferred embodiment, the hole 559 is 5.0millimeters from the centerline of the holes 558 and the centerline ofthe holes 558 is 1.5 millimeters from the place where the element 556joins the portion 555.

FIG. 18 shows that the second face is plated with a conductor 560,except for the marginal edges 561 and an area 562 best shown in FIG. 20.The conductor 560 forms a ground plane that extends substantiallythroughout the second face of the substrate 552, underlying the strip556. This ground plane contributes to the directivity of the energyradiated from the strip 556 toward the transponder T. The conductor-freemarginal edge 561 prevents the conductor 560 from contacting the insidesurfaces of the shield 542. By spacing the elements 554, 555 and 560from the enclosure 592, it assures that the only electrical connectionof the antenna 550 to the enclosure 542 is through the screws 571. Thisassures that the characteristics of the antenna 540 are not affected bycontact of elements 553, 554 and/or 560 with the conductive enclosure542 at one or more other locations. A conductive area generallyindicated at 563 is completely surrounded by conductor-free area 562.The conductive area or conductor 563 has a generally circular conductiveportion 564 joined by a conductive bridge 566 to a generally circularconductive portion 565 which surrounds the plated-through hole 559. Itis apparent that the conductive portion 565 is electrically connected tothe microstrip element 556 through the plated-through hole 559 as bestshown in FIG. 23.

With reference to FIGS. 21 and 25 through 26, the shield or enclosure542 is shown to be comprised of a single piece of conductive metal suchas aluminum bent into the shape illustrated. With reference to FIG. 16,the panel 544 has a bent end portion 567 which overlaps the outside ofthe panel 546. The panel 544 has a hole 544′ through which the cable 05passes. The spaced bottom panels 547 are joined to the side panels 543and 544 at bends 568. Bent-in tabs 569 have threaded holes 570. Theantenna 550 is supported by the tabs 569. As best shown in FIG. 22, oneof the screws 571 extends through a star washer 572 and theplated-through hole 557 and is threaded into the hole 570 in the tab569. The screws 571 insure that the conductive portions 554, 555 and 560make good electrical contact with the tabs 569 which are part of theshield 542.

With reference to FIGS. 23 and 24, there is shown a jack generallyindicated at 573 and a plug 574 connected thereto, however, FIG. 24shows only the end of the jack 573. The jack 573 is of the surface-mounttype and has four short square pins or feet 575 and has a short centralpin 576 electrically isolated from body 577 and the pins 575 of the jack573. Further details of the jack 573 and the plug as disclosed inspecification sheets of Johnson Components, Waseca, Minn. entitled“MMCX-50 Ohm Connectors” and MMCX Straight Jack Receptacle, SurfaceMount. The pin 576 of the plug 574 is connected to a conductor 577′ ofthe cable 577 as shown by dot-dash line 578. The conductor 577′ iselectrically insulated from a braided shielding conductor 579 byinsulation 580. The cable 577 is electrically insulated from contactwith other printer parts by an insulator 581. The conductor 579, thebody 582 of the plug 574, the body 577 of the jack 573, and the pins 573are all connected electrically, and the plug 574 and the jack 573 aremechanically snap-connected.

The four pins 575 of the jack 573 are soldered to the copper-platedconductor 560, and the pin 576 is soldered to the circular portion 564of the conductor 563. With reference to FIG. 20, the position of thefour pins 575 is shown by phantom line squares 575P. A circuit pathexists between the pin 576 and the conductor portion 556 through theconductor 563 and the plated hole 559.

The block diagram of FIG. 27 and the flowchart of FIGS. 30A and 30Billustrate the RFID portion of the printer in FIG. 1 for both antennaembodiments, namely, the antenna assemblies 500 and 540, for example,wherein the RFID antenna 550, for example, radiates energy in a narrowbeam towards an adjacent RFID transponder T, that is aligned with theantenna 550. The RFID antenna 550 radiates energy in response to an RFIDmodule or interrogator 602 in order to write to or program the adjacentRFID transponder. The RFID interrogator 602 is responsive to acontroller 604 to drive the antenna 550 to write or program particularinformation into the adjacent RFID transponder T and the interrogator602 is responsive to energy picked up by the antenna 550 from the RFIDtransponder T to read information stored on the transponder T. The RFIDinterrogator 602 is coupled to the controller 604 by an RFIDinput/output interface 606, the interrogator 602 receiving or sendingcommunication signals through the interface 606 and the interrogator 602receiving power via the interface 606. The controller 604 includes amicroprocessor 608 and memory 610. The memory 610 may include a RAM forstoring data and an application program and a flash EEPROM for storingsoftware controlling the printer 40.

FIG. 28 is a graph illustrating the field strength radiated from theantenna 500′ mounted in the printer 40 as a function of the distanceupstream and downstream from the antenna 500′ in the web path. The 0.0point on the graph represents the position of an RFID transponder Taligned with the antenna 500′. As can be seen, the field strength of theantenna 500′ is highest near the between about 1.0 inch upstream toabout 0.5 inch downstream. The field strength drops off sharply as onemoves upstream or downstream. As is apparent, the antenna 500′ can writeto and/or read an RFID transponder at far less than a pitch or recordmember length of six inches, namely, a record member of two inches canbe written to and/or read without affecting or being affected by an RFIDtransponder that is upstream or downstream of the adjacent transponder.

FIG. 29 is a graph illustrating the field strength of the energyradiated from the antenna 550 mounted in the printer 40 as a function ofdistance upstream and downstream from the antenna 550 in the web path.The 0.0 point on the graph represents the position of an RFIDtransponder T aligned with the antenna 550. As can be seen, the fieldstrength of the antenna 550 is the highest at the 0.0 position, directlyabove the antenna 550. The field strength drops off sharply as one movesupstream or downstream from the 0.0 antenna position. As such, theantenna 550 is highly directional. Because the antenna 550 is highlydirectional, it can write to or program and read from the aligned RFIDtransponder T, i.e. a transponder at the 0.0 position, without affectingor being affected by an RFID transponder that is upstream or downstreamof the aligned transponder T. As seen from the graph of FIG. 29, theantenna 550 is suitable for use with webs where the RFID transponders inadjacent labels are separated by two inches or less, for example oneinch, i.e. for RFID label lengths as short as two inches or less, forexample one inch in length. It should be apparent, that the antenna 550is also suitable for webs having the RFID transponders separated by adistance greater than 2.0 inches and for labels greater in length than2.0 inches, as well.

The microprocessor 608 (FIG. 27) controls the printer 40 of theembodiments of the present invention to write to and/or read an RFIDtransponder T in a label and to print on that same label as follows withrespect to FIGS. 30A-B. At a block 620, the microprocessor 608 controlsthe printer motor to feed a label to the top of form position at whichpoint the movement of the label web is stopped. At the label top of formposition, the RFID transponder T will be generally aligned with theantenna 550. At block 622, the microprocessor 608 retrieves data fromthe memory 610 that has been sent from the host for writing to the RFIDtransponder. This data may be for example electronic product code (EPC)information or other data. Thereafter, at block 624, the microprocessor608 generates a program command. The program command is a packet ofcontrol information to be sent to the RFID interrogator or module 602.From block 624, the microprocessor 608 proceeds to block 626 to send thegenerated packet to the RFID module i.e. interrogator 602.

It is noted that in a preferred embodiment, the RFID module orinterrogator 602 includes its own microprocessor. The RFID moduleperforms a number of functions. For example, the module 602 determineswhether an RFID transponder is within its field by reading the RFIDtransponder's identification code. The RFID module 602 as instructed bythe controller 604 erases the data stored in the RFID transponder,verifies the erasure and then programs the RFID data received from themicroprocessor 608 into the RFID transponder. The RFID module 602 alsoverifies that the data has been programmed into the RFID transponder byreading the data stored in the transponder after a programming operationto verify that the data was correctly written into the RFID transponder.Upon completing the verification process, the RFID module generates aresponse packet that is transmitted back to the microprocessor 608.

The microprocessor 608, at block 628, receives the response packet fromthe RFID module 602 and at block 630, the microprocessor 608 extractsdata from the response packet. The data in the response packet mayinclude a code representing the successful programming of the RFIDtransponder or the data may include a code representing a particularerror. For example, the response data may include an error codeindicating that the RFID module could not read an RFID tag, or a codeindicating that the tag could not be erased or a code indicating thatthe tag was not accurately programmed. At block 632, the microprocessor608 decodes the data in the response packet to determine at block 634whether the programming of the RFID transponder was successful orwhether the response packet from the RFID module included an error code.If the programming of the RFID transponder was determined to besuccessful, that is, without error, at block 634, the microprocessor 608proceeds to block 636 to control the feeding or movement of the web andthe printing of data on the label via the print head. It is noted, thatwhile the RFID transponder is being read from or programmed, the web isstationary. However, during the printing of information on a recordmember at block 636, the microprocessor 608 moves the web past the printhead during the printing operation. If the microprocessor 608 determinesat block 634 that the response packet received from the RFID moduleindicated an error condition, the microprocessor 608 proceeds to block638 to display an error message on a liquid crystal display of theprinter. From block 638, the microprocessor proceeds to block 640 tofeed the label with the defective RFID transponder past the print headand controls the print head to print an overstrike image, such as evenlyspaced longitudinally extending bars, on the record member RM. Thisindicates that the RFID transponder is defective. From blocks 638 or640, the microprocessor proceeds to block 608 to feed the next label tothe top of form position at block 620 as discussed above.

While the block diagram of FIG. 27 and the flow chart of FIGS. 30A and30B and the corresponding parts of the specification, show and describethe invention as related to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 15 through 26,they relate as well to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 3 through 14.

As used herein, the expression “conductive” is intended to mean“electrically conductive”.

While the antenna assembly 540 is described in connection with astational or tabletop printer 40, the antenna assembly 540 is usable inportable and/or hand-held devices as well. The antenna assembly 540 canbe positioned at the front end of a battery-powered, trigger-activatedhousing with a manually graspable handle as depicted at 100 in U.S. Pat.No. 6,677,852.

By way of further example, not limitation, the substrate 552 is 18millimeters in width, 95 millimeters in length and 1.57 millimeters inthickness; the enclosure or shield 542 is 104 millimeters in length fromthe outside of the wall 545 to the outside of the wall 546, 20.7millimeters in width from the outside of the wall 543 to the outside ofthe wall 544, and 34 millimeters in height from the outside of the wallprovided by panels 547 and the opening 542′; the thickness of bent sheetmetal that comprises the panels 543, 544 545, 546, and 547 is 1.2millimeters; the distance from the web guide 60 and the platen roll 63,namely the space available for the antenna assembly 500 or the antennaassembly 540 is about 24.65 millimeters; and the distance from themicrostrip element 556 to the inside surface of the bottom panels 547 is27.18 millimeters. The distance from the nip between the print head 69and the platen roll 63 to terminal end 510′ of the guide 510 (FIG. 3) is8 millimeters.

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possiblein light of the above teachings. Thus, it is to be understood that,within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practicedotherwise than as described hereinabove.

1. A printer for printing on a web of record members having RFIDtransponders disposed at spaced locations along the length of the web,comprising: a print head capable of printing on the web, a read and/orwrite antenna disposed upstream of the print head, a shield disposeddownstream of the print head to prevent the antenna assembly fromaffecting or being affected by any RFID transponder at a locationdownstream of the shield.
 2. A printer as defined in claim 1, whereinthe antenna is a microstrip antenna.
 3. A printer as defined in claim 1,wherein the antenna is a loop antenna.
 4. A printer as defined in claim1, a web guide upstream of the platen roll, a platen roll cooperablewith the print head, wherein the antenna is disposed between the webguide and the platen roll.
 5. A printer as defined in claim 1, whereinthe antenna is mounted on the shield.
 6. A printer as defined in claim1, including a delaminator at which RFID labels are delaminatedone-by-one from a web, wherein the delaminator forms part of the shield,and wherein the shield includes a portion underlying the platen roll. 7.A printer as defined in claim 1, including a delaminator at which RFIDlabels are delaminated one-by-one from a web, wherein the delaminatorforms part of the shield, wherein the shield includes a first downwardlyextending portion electrically connected to the delaminator, an inclinedportion joined to the downwardly extending portion and underlying theplaten roll, a second downwardly extending portion joined to theinclined portion, and a base portion joined to the second downwardlyextending portion and underlying the inclined portion.
 8. A printer asdefined in claim 1, a platen roll cooperable with the print head,wherein part of the shield underlies the shield underlies the platenroll, wherein RFID labels releasably adhered to a carrier web areadvanced to between the print head and the platen roll, a delaminatordisposed downstream of the print head, a pair of cooperating rollsdisposed downstream of the delaminator to advance the carrier web, aelectric motor drivingly coupled to at least one of the rolls, and theelectric motor being disposed below the part of the shield thatunderlies the platen roll.
 9. A printer as defined in claim 1, includinganother shield for the antenna to direct RF energy so that only one RFIDtransporter at a time is written to and/or read.
 10. A printer asdefined in claim 9, a platen roll cooperable with the print head, andwherein the platen roll has a conductive shaft and elastomeric materialreceived about the shaft.
 11. A printer as defined in claim 9, whereinthe antenna is a microstrip antenna, and the other shield comprises anenclosure with an opening, wherein the antenna is disposed in theenclosure spaced from the opening, and wherein the opening is betweenthe antenna and the transponder which is to be written to and/or read.12. A printer as defined in claim 1, including a guide for the printedrecord members, wherein the guide forms part of the shield.
 13. Aprinter for printing on a composite label web of record members havingRFID transponders disposed at spaced locations along the length of theweb, the web including a carrier web and labels releasably adhered tothe carrier web, comprising: a thermal print head, a platen rollcooperable with the print head, an antenna disposed upstream of theprint head, the printer having space in which a roll form of thecomposite web can be supported and from which the web can pass by theantenna before passing between the print head and platen roll andbeyond, a delaminator downstream of the platen roll at which labels aredelaminated from the carrier web, a shield including the delaminator toprevent the antenna from affecting or being affected by any RFIDtransponder at a location downstream of the delaminator.
 14. A printeras defined in claim 13, wherein the antenna is mounted on the shield.15. A printer for printing on a web of record members having RFIDtransponders disposed at spaced locations along the length of the web,comprising: a print head capable of printing on the web, a read and/orwrite antenna assembly including an antenna and a conductive shield forthe antenna, and the shield having an opening adjacent the web of recordmembers so that the field of the antenna is directed to one of thetransponders at a time, and another shield downstream of the print head16. An antenna for use in a system that writes to and/or reads an RFIDtransponder on a record member, comprising: a microstrip antenna thatprovides energy to write to and/or read RFID transponders; a conductiveenclosure having contiguous side walls and at least one opening, theantenna being supported in the enclosure such that the energy radiatedfrom the enclosed antenna is sufficient to write to an RFID transponderin a record member aligned with the opening of the enclosure, and theside walls of the enclosure blocking a portion of the radiated energyfrom a record member adjacent to the aligned record member, wherein theantenna includes a microstrip element formed on a first surface of anon-conducting substrate, and the antenna further includes a groundplane formed On a second surface of the substrate opposite the firstsurface, and the surface area of the ground plane being greater than thesurface area of the microstrip element.
 17. An antenna as defined inclaim 16, wherein the ground plane is disposed beneath the microstripelement.
 18. The antenna defined in claim 16, wherein the walls extendbeyond the antenna toward the opening.
 19. An antenna for use in asystem that writes to and/or reads an RFID record member formed in a webof RFID record members, each RFID record member containing an RFIDtransponder, the antenna comprising: a microstrip antenna that radiatesenergy to write to and/or read an RFID transponder in a record member;and a conductive enclosure having side walls, at least one opening and awall opposite the opening, the antenna being supported in the enclosureso that the side walls extend beyond a plane of the antenna towards theopening of the enclosure and the antenna radiates sufficient energy towrite to and/or read an RFID transponder in a record member aligned withthe opening of the enclosure, wherein the antenna includes anon-conductive substrate having a boundry, wherein a conductive area onone side of the substrate forms a driven element of the antenna and aconductive area on the other side of the substrate forms a ground plane,and wherein the driven element and the ground plane extend short of theboundry.
 20. A system for writing to and/or reading an RFID transponderin a record member formed in a web of record members without affectingthe RFID transponder in an adjacent, downstream record member,comprising; an antenna radiating energy to write to and/or read from anRFID transponder in a record member; a shield having a first portionsupporting the antenna so that the antenna is generally parallel to arecord member to be written to and/or read and the shield having asecond portion extending at an angle from the first portion towards theweb so that at least a part of the second portion is adjacent the web toshield an RFID transponder in a record member from energy radiating fromthe antenna, and wherein part of the shield adjacent the web forms aguide for the web.
 21. A system for writing to and/or reading an RFIDtransponder in a record member formed in a web of record members withoutaffecting the RFID transponder in an adjacent, downstream record member,comprising: an antenna radiating energy to write to and/or read from anRFID transponder in a record member; a shield having a first portionsupporting the antenna so that the antenna is generally parallel to arecord member to be written to and/or read and the shield having asecond portion extending at an angle from the first portion towards theweb so that at least a part of the second portion is adjacent the web toshield an RFID transponder in a record member downstream of the partfrom energy radiating from the antenna, wherein part of the shieldadjacent the web forms a delaminator.
 22. A system for writing to and/orreading an RFID transponder in a record member formed in a web of recordmembers without affecting the RFID transponder in an adjacent,downstream record member, comprising: an antenna radiating energy towrite to and/or read from an RFID transponder in a record member; ashield having a first portion supporting the antenna so that the antennais generally parallel to a record member to be written to and/or readand the shield having a second portion extending at an angle from thefirst portion towards the web so that at least a part of the secondportion is adjacent the web to shield an RFID transponder in a recordmember downstream of the part from energy radiating from the antenna,and another shield comprising a conductive enclosure with an openingfacing a record member to be written to and/or read.
 23. A system asdefined in claim 22, wherein the antenna comprising a microstrip antennasupported in the enclosure such that the enclosure extends beyond aplane of the antenna towards the enclosure opening.
 24. A system asdefined in claim 23, wherein the antenna includes a driven elementformed on a first surface of a non-conducting substrate, the width ofthe substrate being greater than the width of the antenna, wherein theantenna further includes a ground plane, wherein the driven element isconnected to the ground plane formed on a second surface of thesubstrate opposite the first surface, and the surface area of the groundplane being greater than the surface area of the driven element.
 25. Asystem as defined in claim 23, wherein the enclosure has a conductiveback wall and the antenna is positioned between the back wall and theopening.
 26. A printer for printing record members and writing to and/orreading RFID transponders in a web of RFID record members, the printercomprising: a print head capable of printing on the record members, anassembly including electrically conductive spaced walls providing atleast one opening aligned with only one transponder at a time, and amicrostrip antenna including a driven microstrip element, the drivenmicrostrip antenna being disposed between the spaced walls, the drivenmicrostrip element being spaced from the opening, the microstrip antennabeing capable of radiating unsuppressed RF energy through the openingsufficient to write to the aligned transponder, and the walls blocking aportion of the RF energy to the transponder(s) adjacent the alignedtransponder.
 27. A printer as defined in claim 26, wherein there aremore than two walls.
 28. A printer as defined in claim 26, wherein twoof said walls are spaced along the travel path of the web.
 29. A printeras defined in claim 26, wherein the driven microstrip element isgrounded to the walls.
 30. An assembly that writes to and/or reads RFIDtransponders on a web of record members, the assembly comprising:electrically conductive spaced walls providing at least one openingaligned with only one transponder at a time, a microstrip antennaincluding a driven microstrip element, the driven microstrip elementbeing disposed entirely between the walls, the driven microstrip elementbeing spaced from the opening, the microstrip antenna being capable ofradiating RF energy through the opening sufficient to write to thealigned transponder, and the walls blocking a portion of the RF energyto the transponder(s) adjacent the aligned transponder, wherein the RFenergy radiated by the driven microstrip element passing through theopening to the aligned transponder to be written to is generallyunsuppressed.
 31. An assembly that writes to and/or reads RFIDtransponders on a web of record members, the assembly comprising:electrically conductive spaced walls providing at least one openingaligned with only one transponder at a time a microstrip antennaincluding a driven microstrip element, the driven microstrip elementbeing disposed entirely between the walls, the driven microstrip elementbeing spaced from the opening, the microstrip antenna being capable ofradiating RF energy through the opening sufficient to write to thealigned transponder, and the walls blocking a portion of the RF energyto the transponder(s) adjacent the aligned transponder, wherein the RFenergy radiated by the driven microstrip element passing through theopening is free of electrical energy suppression
 32. An assembly thatwrites to and/or reads RFID transponders on a web of record members, theassembly comprising: four contiguous electrically conductive spacedwalls providing at least one opening aligned with only one transponderat a time, a microstrip antenna including a driven microstrip element,the driven microstrip element being disposed entirely between the walls,the driven microstrip element being spaced from the opening, themicrostrip antenna being capable of radiating RF energy through theopening sufficient to write to the aligned transponder, and the wallsblocking a portion of the RF energy to the transponder(s) adjacent thealigned transponder.
 33. A printer having a print head capable ofprinting on a web of RFID record members, an assembly that writes toand/or reads RFID transponders on the web of record members, theassembly being disposed along the path of the web travel, the assemblyincluding, electrically conductive spaced walls providing at least oneopening aligned with only one transponder at a time. a microstripantenna including a driven microstrip element, the driven microstripelement being disposed entirely between the walls, die driven microstripelement being spaced from the opening, the microstrip antenna beingcapable of radiating RF energy through the opening sufficient to writeto the aligned transponder, and the walls blocking a portion of the RFenergy to the transponder(s) adjacent the aligned transponder.